I had high hopes for the film, considering all the hype the first trailer created and the fact that it was a Prithviraj film. I was utterly disappointed.
I simply had to write this review to let everyone know how highly overrated 7th Day is. A story that could've made a blockbuster was destroyed by terrible writing and poor execution. And to top all that, naming the antagonist Moriarty. Why would they drag an iconic character's name into what could be one of the most boring thrillers in Malayalam Cinema? I mean, what was the writer trying to accomplish by using the name 'Moriarty'?
The supporting cast including Vinay Forrt, Anu Mohan and Tovino Thomas gave their career worst performances. Their bad acting only made the already under-written characters even more unwatchable. It was sad to see such good talents put to waste. Janani Iyer could very well be the Kirsten Stewart of Malayalam Cinema. No expression on that face, whatsoever!
The screenplay was pathetic and dragged on for more than two hours. Scenes that could've been compelling were blown to bits by over the top style and clichéd dialogues. Take for example an important scene where four characters are in the middle of a conversation on top of a cliff. After each dialogue, the camera has to zoom in on each characters face, followed by panoramic shots from various angles. A conversation that could've taken about three minutes was stretched to a whopping fifteen minutes!
The plot was plain stupid and the non-linear narrative was so bad that it lost it's way in the first half itself. The twists were clichéd and the climax was obvious.
It still makes one wonder why Prithviraj, an incredible actor who gave us brilliant performances in yesteryear's 'Mumbai Police', 'Celluloid' and 'Memories', would even consider a part in what could be one of the worst thrillers of the year. Nonetheless, Prithivraj gave a convincing performance and remains the only saving grace of the film.
Final Verdict: 7th Day is a fine example of how flawed writing and terrible acting can put an entire genre to shame. Watch it if you're a huge fan of Prithviraj, but don't expect to be overwhelmed.
